Month: January 2023

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Minoxidil liquid or foam?

I’ve recently switched from using liquid Minoxidil to the foam version, and I’ve noticed a few differences. The foam leaves my hair less greasy, which is a plus, and it’s also reduced the itchiness on my scalp, which I’m happy about. However, I’ve been wondering if the reduced itchiness means that less Minoxidil is getting absorbed into my scalp. Also, I find it a bit more challenging to get the foam directly onto my scalp compared to the liquid.

I’d really appreciate any insights or advice from those who have made a similar switch or have experience with the foam version. Thanks!

Minoxidil works in only 40% of men because the remaining 60% do not have the enzyme in the scalp to convert minoxidil into minoxidil sulfate, the active for of the drug that brings on the hair. The pill, on the other hand, works on all men because the liver converts the minoxidil into its active form. The liquid is better than the foam because you can get it on the scalp where it belongs, while too much foam goes on the hair, which does little good. The goal for the topical minoxidil is to get it on the scalp not the hair.

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Minoxidil itching

I was using topical minoxidil before but my scalp was itching very much so I switched to oral minoxidil but now my body has started to itch.

Itching is a sign of allergy to the drug or the carrier. If you have it with the oral, it is likely an allergy to minoxidil.

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Minoxidil Is Regrowing My Juvenile Hairline

I’m a 23 year old male I have been using 5% minoxidil for 2 months. I’m noticing an increase of hair in my face as well as my juvenile hairline. I’ve read in previous posts that minoxidil isn’t supposed to work on this type of hair. My questions are that if I’m seeing increased hair in my face does this most likely mean it is also working in my scalp? Will I eventually loose the hair that is regrowing in my juvenile hair line and do you think this hair will grow long enough?

I do not know! It may, but since I do not have the luxury to examine you in person, I couldn’t begin to guess. That being said, I don’t believe minoxidil will completely regrow your juvenile hairline… particularly in only 2 months.

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Minoxidil Is Making Me Hairy!

I started minoxidil 2 months ago and it is working miricles on the back of my head. The problem is that it is now hair growing on my back and the hair on on my arms and legs is getting thicker, much thicker. I am growing hair all over my body, even the chest is hairier. When I looked at my arms, there is probably no new hair, but the hairs on my arms are definately thicker. Could I be imagining this? Is this possible?

Yes, this is a known, but rare side effect of minoxidil with topical applications. It was a finding that was more consistent when the drug was given in a pill form for the treatment of high blood pressure (that was its original use). I suspect that you are absorbing considerable amounts of minoxidil into your body through the skin. Skin applications of medications are not new. Testosterone is administered as a patch and so are many other medications. The skin is an excellent route for bringing drugs into the body. Your dilemma is simply to accept the new body hair along with the benefits in the crown of your head, or stop the drug and wait for it to back to your original, normal state.


2006-08-22 14:58:13Minoxidil Is Making Me Hairy!

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Minoxidil is causing me problems

I stopped taking minoxidil because of chest pain and my heart was racing

  1. Made my hair greasy and looked puffy (im used the foam 5%)

  2. I felt like my heart was racing fast, idk if it was nocebo but whenever i put my hands on my heart it felt like it was beating fast. But i didnt have any headaches or chest pain or whatever. I stopped due to this reason as well, maybe i was hyper aware??

Can I try to restart it now?

Heart racing and chest pain from minoxidil is a worrisome side effect. Speak with your doctor.


2019-04-08 10:35:58Minoxidil is causing me problems

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Minoxidil Has Regrown Some Hair, But The Rest of My Hair Is Very Fine Now!

(female)

I’ve been using Minoxidil for about a year. It seemed to stop my hair from falling out, with new regrowth. But, my hair is so fine now; the strands are very thin, that gains seem to have been replaced with thin fragile hairs. Is this typical? If I stop using it, will the strands that grow back stay fine, or thicker as they were before? Any comments on weight gain, as a small percentage side effect? Thank you so much!

If you stop using it and if your hair is minoxidil dependent, then you will lose hair along with whatever benefits you’ve gotten since you started the medication. I don’t know how much regrowth you saw since I don’t have before and after photos of your hair, but you need to continue using the minoxidil for life in order to maintain the gains you made.

Fine hair is fine hair, but minoxidil did not cause that. Minoxidil doesn’t change the character of hair. Fragile hair occurs in some people, but you might check with your hair stylist for a solution to this one. Remember the hair that you are treating with minoxidil is fragile by its nature if it is miniaturized due to the genetic balding, so I would imagine that your minoxidil treated hair will be easily broken if you are rough in handling it.

Female hair loss is tricky, and there are many possible reasons for the loss you see. If you were diagnosed with genetic loss by a doctor, that’s one thing, but if you are just treating yourself, there are common blood tests you can have done to see if there is another potential cause (see here).


2013-02-28 13:46:24Minoxidil Has Regrown Some Hair, But The Rest of My Hair Is Very Fine Now!

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Minoxidil, does it make transplanted hair grow better?

I just had an FUE and want to know if I can use Minoxidil and when. Incidentally, is it true that there is benefit on using Minoxidil on the implanted hairs?

The use of Minoxidil on the recipient growth can be started once the crusts are all off. I ran a study on half of the head on a few dozen patients where I put Minoxidil on half of the head and not the other half. There was no value seen on the Minoxidil side.

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Minoxidil Foam Without Glycerin — Wouldn’t It Just Dry Out The Scalp?

Kirkland FoamKirkland brand Minoxidil foam has no glycerin like Rogaine Foam, but seems to just have extra alcohol. Wouldn’t this just dry out the scalp and hair defeating the purpose of using the foam?

Glycerin is an alcohol. I really don’t know if there will be a difference in scalp dryness from Kirkland Foam or Rogaine Foam. The ingredients in each medication are similar enough, but the differences might cause someone to see dryness or other irritation. If you don’t like one, try the other.

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Minoxidil and Finasteride Do Not Seem to Be Helping My Balding

I have been using Minoxidil for around 2 years, and I started taking Finasteride 9 months ago but my hair fall is somewhat the same. My hairs are shedding when I dry my hair with towel or rub it between my hands. Does stress increases hair fall? How do I resolve this problem?

Genetic hair loss does not always respond to the treatments that doctors have for you today. Sometimes it resists all forms of treatment, and if you should happen to bald as a result of this, hair transplants are a good solution.
An alternative, if you don’t want surgery, is Scalp Micropigmentation (https://scalpmicropigmentation.com/bold-shaved-look/). For this last solution, you must keep your head shaved. Be careful with being rough while your hair drying with a towel as you can easily pull out miniaturized hairs that are at the end of their lives.